At the Prefect's Bathroom
by airborne.humanoid
Summary: What happens when Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger meet in the Prefect's Bathroom one night? A friendly PG fic, written in response to a fanfic exchange.


A/N: Just my FIRST DHr fan fiction. Been a shipper of those 2 for a LONG time :-) Please review!

Disclaimer: Nah, none of it is mine...

Draco Malfoy hurriedly grabbed a few towels and a fresh change of clothes. He had just completed his Prefect rounds and was in a hurry to take a long relaxing bath after an extremely stressful day of dealing with lessons, his prefect duties and of course, dealing with his father and his wishes.

Finally, this was the time for him to let go, relax and unwind. In the dead of the night, where no one would bother or care about him. No one would be breathing down his neck to remind him to maintain his Malfoy standards. No one would be at his sides, protecting him whatsoever.

Draco walked out his room, his robes billowing behind him. As he walked out, he noticed Bushy-Head Granger, sitting in front of the Prefect's common room, deeply immersed in a Muggle book. Smirking, he ignored her, as he marched out the portrait and out to the fifth floor towards the Prefect's bathroom.

As soon as he reached the bathroom, he turned on the various taps, making the bathroom a little misty with different colored bubbles in the tub. The aroma was making him lightheaded as he stripped down to his swimming shorts and got into the huge bathtub, laying a few towels behind him to support his head. He dug into his robes which he had already discarded, to retrieve a book—a Muggle book—that he had been so constantly reading due to his fascination in them...

He made sure again that no one else was in the room as he opened the book to the page where he stopped yesterday night. He was so engrossed in the book that he didn't hear the door opening or a certain Gryffindor walking through the bathroom as she settled down in the tub next to him.

"Hey, Malfoy," a girl's voice whispered suddenly that it made him jolt. He glanced around and panicked, wondering if the Mermaid in the picture was actually talking to him. Then, he heard a giggle, before whipping around to find Granger next to him, with a smile on her face.

"What are you doing here Granger?" Malfoy glowered in displeasure. He shifted uneasily away from her as she sunk in lower into the water.

"The same reason you are here, Malfoy," she replied as she leaned back, her eyes closing and her body at ease. Malfoy turned away from her and just as he did, Hermione's eyes snapped open again and she faced Malfoy quizzically.

"What?" Malfoy said in exasperation. He was unaware that he was still holding on the book as his eyes skimmed the words quickly.

"My book...! I've been looking for it for ages!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes lighting up in excitement. She gave Malfoy a genuine smile before saying playfully, "if you wanted to read it, you could ask you know."

"What was I supposed to do? I saw it lying on the table of the common room, so I picked it up and started reading it. Blame it on yourself that _you_ left it _lying _around for _anyone_ to read it," Malfoy pointed out in a childlike voice, throwing the book angrily but gently behind him.

"Hey, treat the book with care... but you can still read it if you want," Hermione offered. Draco scowled.

"Who wants to read filthy Muggle trash anyway?" Malfoy said snidely.

"Well, you did," Hermione pointed out. Malfoy turned to her in disgust before moving himself further away from her.

"You're disrupting my peace. Leave me alone," he answered, leaning back against the towels. He was angry, he felt like a part of him isn't complete as he was in the middle of reading the climax.

Next to him, he felt Hermione chuckle to herself. He ignored her, closing his eyes and trying to focus on anything else but the book.

The bubbles around him soothed him to sleep, but he awoke again when he heard and felt Granger get out the water momentarily before slipping back in again.

Then, still closing his eyes, he heard Granger murmuring something under her breath, and his eyes prickled when he noticed that she was reading aloud the Muggle book at the page where he stopped.

Straining his ears, he tried to hide his contented smile after finding out what happened in the chapter. Hermione stopped suddenly and Malfoy's eyes flew open.

"Ahhh so you were listening," Hermione observed him. She grinned again and scooted closer to him. This time he didn't move away. He sat up quickly, the bubbles reaching up to his chest.

"The story was good," he admitted, a little blush creeping up his cheeks, Hermione laughed again and peered at Draco, handing him the book. He tentatively took it from her hands and placed it next to him.

"I never thought I'll live to the day that Malfoy admits having an interest in a Muggle book," Hermione smiled at him, a soft hue illuminating her rosy face.

"Well, you did," he felt a force tugging the sides of his mouth, forming a small smile. Hermione brightened up, her smile radiating her face, and he couldn't help but grin at her.

"I've never seen you smile," Hermione said softly and he gazed at her, the smile wiped off his face, and blushing slightly he turned away.

"Why is she suddenly being civil to me?" Draco muttered quietly.

"Do you really hate anything associated with muggles?" Hermione asked him, with a tone of remorse in her voice. Draco shifted uncomfortably before stealing a glance at her. She had a hopeful look on her face.

_Filthy muggles_...

"Muggles...? They're pathetic, they're a wretched excuse for human beings, and they take so long just to do something so simple... They're helpless," Draco stated, gazing at her.

"You really think so?" Hermione pressed on.

"Yes," he said firmly, looking away from her deep brown orbs that were penetrating through his eyes.

"What about Mudbloods?"

"Just dirty blood. Polluted. Contaminated—"

"Impure," she finished for him, and quickly looked away.

"Glad you know it yourself," Draco spat back. At once, he felt mean. Remembering the book next to him, he turned away from her again and leaned back against the towel. They remained in lapse silence before she tried pulling herself up from the deep pool.

"Where are you going?" Draco said suddenly, pulling himself up as well and reaching for his bathrobe.

"Back to my room," came Hermione's short reply, still struggling to get back up. Instantly, he grabbed her arms gently and firmly pulled her out the pool.

She shot him a surprised look before mumbling, "I could have done that myself, but thanks anyway."

Malfoy was even surprised at himself but, he merely shrugged his shoulders.

Her eyes then traveled up his arm to find that it was free of the Dark Mark. He noticed her eyes lingering and held his pale arm out. She gave a sigh of relief.

"I'm not one," he smirked, "yet," he added to himself quietly.

She wrapped her burgundy robe around herself and let free her hair that she had tied up to prevent it from getting wet. Then, she tied it up neatly again before grabbing her clothes and heading towards a cubicle to change.

Draco sat on a bench, waiting for her, as he flipped through the book and read the next chapter. When she came out, she was wearing her Hogwarts robe over her plain black pajamas, a small bag slung over her shoulders.

"Hermione," he called out, as she headed towards the door. She didn't notice him sitting in the dark as she walked out the cubicle. She spun around in surprise as he strode towards her.

"I thought you left," Hermione whispered in the dark.

"Obviously I haven't," he answered.

"Don't forget the book," Hermione pointed nervously at the book sitting on the bench.

"I won't," Draco smiled suddenly. Hermione gazed up to his silver eyes for the first time and noticed it had a certain twinkle in them.

She returned a small smile back and proceeded to walk out the door. He held her hand softly in his before whispering, "I don't hate you."

Hermione nodded, completely calm at having her hand in his, "I know you don't," she responded in a misty voice, "I don't hate you either."

"I might kiss you," he murmured.

"I'm a Mudblood, Draco."

"I don't care. Just let me—"

"I might be bad at it."

"Like I give a damn," he replied. Hermione took a step towards him.

"This never happened," Hermione stated firmly, their hands intertwining to form a handshake of agreement.

"You got it," Draco agreed before she tiptoed up and kissed him chastely on his lips. There was no battle of tongues or roaming hands whatsoever... just the simple gesture made him feel convinced of her humanity. When she let go, she gave him a bashful smile, her nose bumping against his.

"Had a great time, see you Malfoy," Hermione said softly, pushing a strand of hair behind his ear. Then, she turned and walked out the portrait.

"Same here... Later, Granger," he replied, concealing a smile.


End file.
